


The Lion's Den

by kethni



Series: Galatea [2]
Category: Veep (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Sequel, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 06:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13141068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: Daddy. He heard the word most days. He said it himself most days. He still wasn’t used to it. It still made him catch his breath.





	The Lion's Den

**Author's Note:**

> For CrazyMaryT with thanks for the request, and for all your help.

Kent turned over in bed, and felt Curiosity stretch out next to him.

He reached down to card his fingers through her warm fur.

Then she jumped up and ran out of the room at high speed. Kent snorted and rolled onto his back. The room was warm, but he pulled the covers up to his chin. Downstairs he could hear movement, Sue dishing out cat food, and Curiosity chirping.

Kent glanced at the clock. Five was too early to get up at the weekend. James didn’t agree, of course, and was gurgling and starting to grizzle.

Kent rubbed his eye as he got out of bed. He padded out of the bedroom and into James’s room. The little night light gave shape to the room, and bathed the stuffed toys and furniture in a soft, rose glow.

‘Good morning,’ Kent said, sitting beside the crib.

James grinned and waved his little fists in greeting.

‘It would be great if you could go to sleep again,’ Kent said. ‘Is there any chance of that?’

James reached through the bars and gripped Kent’s hand.

‘Is that a no?’

James giggled.

‘Your poor mother,’ Kent said, leaning over to kiss him. ‘One of these days she’s going to get a lie-in.’ He picked James up in a smooth movement and checked his diaper. James concentrated and carefully grabbed a fistful of Kent’s hair. ‘You wish you had my hair,’ Kent said, carrying him out to the stairs. He gently pried James’s hand away, before walking downstairs.

‘You’re supposed to be in bed,’ Sue said severely, as he walked into the kitchen.

‘Between the cat and the baby, that was unlikely to happen; he said, kissing her cheek.

Sue put her hand on her hip. ‘Go back to bed. I’m making you breakfast.’

Kent shifted James to his other arm. ‘Or, alternatively, I cook breakfast, and you go back to bed.’

Sue pointed at the door. ‘Go.’

He saluted with his free hand. ‘You heard your mother,’ he said to James. ‘And we never argue with ladies.’

‘You argue with me all the time,' Sue called after him.

Living together was still new enough for them to be lightly awkward and careful. It was new enough that when Kent came home he still took a moment to look, and appreciate, at what he had now.

It was new enough that they bickered over who would make breakfast and who got to lie in. Kent knew that wouldn’t last. He knew the novelty and awkwardness would wear off. He was enjoying it while it lasted, just as he would enjoy the comfort of relaxing into living together.

He got into bed and sat James on his lap. Kent didn’t know Sue's former husband and didn’t know what he looked like, but he thought James favoured Sue. James had an oval face, burnt umber skin, large dark eyes, and full lips. He also had tightly curled brown hair and long fingers, with wickedly sharp nails. That was common to children his age, or so Sue claimed each time he nearly sliced open someone’s face.

He also smiled all the time, which he certainly _didn’t_ get from Sue. He was grinning now as Kent made them both comfortable and turned on the television.

‘You can watch an episode of sesame street,’ Kent said, cuing up the DVD. ‘But only one. Your mother doesn’t want you watching a lot of television.’

The smell rising from James’s diaper suggested what he thought of that particular rule.

‘Already?’ Kent asked. ‘Alright. Come on. Let’s change that before your mother appears with breakfast.’

***

There was something about Christmas in DC that always felt anticlimactic to Kent. It wasn’t cold enough, for one thing, and it always felt... manufactured. It wasn’t as bad as Christmas is LA, the one year he had done that, but it wasn’t the same as Christmas in Oregon, or even Massachusetts. Christmas at college had been bitterly cold, one year there was even snow. While hardly a match for LA, DC was still warmer than Oregon or Massachusetts.

‘It’s freezing,’ Sue almost squealed, and ducked back into the house. When she re-appeared, she was wearing a heavy looking scarf and a warm hat. ‘Don’t laugh at me,’ she said to Kent.

‘I wasn’t.’

‘Yes, you were.’

‘Only a tiny bit.’

She stuck her tongue out at him.

‘I’m not sure if I should be insulted or aroused,’ Kent said.

Sue looked meaningfully at James.

‘I don’t think he’s quite mastered references to sex just yet,’ Kent said, getting into the car.

It took Sue a moment to strap James into the car seat and then sit next to Kent.

‘We should get into the habit of assuming he can understand,’ she said.

Kent started the car. ‘I know you mean to get him the best possible education, but assuming he has the vocal comprehension of a teenager might be a touch premature.’

Sue pulled a face. ‘You know full well I’m thinking of you getting into the habit of saying radically inappropriate things and struggling to break it when he can understand.’

‘I worked for Selina Meyer,’ Kent said. ‘I'm quite used to not saying everything that crosses my mind.’

Sue’s lips twitched into a small smile. ‘As accurate as it may be to compare the former president to an infant, it isn’t quite an exact analogy.’

Kent glanced across at her. ‘Okay.’

‘Thank you.’

He checked the mirror. ‘I hate that seat.’

‘He’s fine.’

‘I know. I’ll just be happier when he’s big enough to go in a forward-facing chair and I can see him.’

Sue stretched out beside him. ‘Let’s enjoy him being a baby.’

‘Gonna nap?’

‘No,’ Sue said, closing her eyes.

Kent smiled. James mostly slept through the night, but ‘mostly’ was not ‘always’, and even when he did sleep through, he kept them both busy enough that eight straight hours was an almost unimaginable luxury. A few weeks ago, flu had swept through the capitol, leaving Sue scrambling to care for both an inconsolable baby and a near-unconscious boyfriend.

Ben and his brood also succumbed, and Sue had ended up working in shifts together with Joyce, just so they could get some sleep.

‘What’re you thinking about?’ Sue asked sleepily.

‘When I had the flu a few weeks ago.’

She squeezed his knee. ‘You’re a good patient.’

‘You’re an excellent nurse.’ He glanced at her. ‘You can nap more if you wish.’

‘Do you mind?’

Kent shook his head. ‘Maybe if you nap now then you won’t fall asleep in the middle of dinner.’

‘Asshole,’ Sue said. ‘I haven’t done that in weeks.’

‘You did it on Wednesday,’ Kent said.

Sue’s lips twitched. ‘No, I didn’t.’

Kent smiled. ‘Go back to sleep.’

***

It was almost lunchtime, and Kent could hear Sue’s stomach was rumbling. He shifted in his seat.

‘Do you want to stop and get bunch?’ Sue asked.

‘We’re making good time,’ Kent said.

‘James is going to need feeding and a change.’

Kent raised an eyebrow. ‘Did I hear your tummy gurgling.’

‘No,’ Sue said firmly. ‘Hurry up and get to the next rest stop.’

Kent chuckled. ‘Okay.’

‘Or an exit. There might be more choice.’ Sue glanced at Kent. 'You’re such a picky eater.’

‘I am not picky; Kent protested. ‘I merely enjoy specific goods cooked in a particular way.’

‘Picky,’ Sue said.

Kent took the turn off for the exit. ‘This from the woman who pulled a face at a bottle of wine at Candi’s Christmas party.’

‘It was a bottle of watered down Charles Shaw. Admittedly watering it down can only improve it,’ Sue said. ‘I would rather drink gasoline.’

‘Picky,’ Kent said.

She snorted.

Kent found a place to park the car, a block from a cluster of restaurants. As Sue yawned and stretched he took the dozing baby from the baby seat.

‘ _Now_ he naps,’ he said to Sue.

She linked his arm as they walked to the nicest looking of the restaurants.

‘Thank you for this,’ she said looking through the window.

‘Lunch?’

‘Coming with me,’ she said, opening the door.

‘I’m happy to.’

Sue gave him a look. ‘Nobody is happy to be doing this.’

‘I think James might be,’ Kent suggested, following the serve to a table. He was little uneasy with some of the looks they were attracting.

‘He just likes being in the car.’ Sue sat down and took James from him.

Kent looked at his menu. ‘If there’s a problem then we’ll go home.’

Sue looked at him over the top of her menu. ‘After driving all that way we’ll just drive back?’

‘If they don’t treat you with an appropriate level of respect then we will absolutely leave immediately and drive back.’

Sue squeezed Kent’s hand.

‘You can tell POTUS that you couldn’t stand to leave her floundering for a moment longer,’ Kent suggested.

Sue rolled her eyes. ‘The woman is constantly on the verge of a breakdown.’

‘I suspect it comes with the job.’

James woke with a soft whimper. He reached for Sue’s breast. Kent took the nursing cover from her bag and draped it around her shoulders and over James.

‘Will you be disappointed when he’s on solids?’ Sue asked.

‘Sore, cracked nipples aren’t high on my list of physical attributes,’ Kent said. ‘Or were you implying your breasts will reduce in size?’

She nodded. ‘It’s a long time since you’ve seen them naturally, it might be a shock,’ she teased.

He shrugged. ‘More of a leg man anyway,’ he said lightly.

‘I always thought you were too complacent about shaving my legs.’

Kent nodded. ‘Right, because what attracts me to a woman is having a good thatch of fuzz I can shave off for her.’

Sue gave a small smile. She looked up at the server approached the table.

‘Are you ready to order?’ Kent asked.

‘Certainly.’

The server squirmed, and looked around the room. ‘Um, there’s been a complaint.’

Kent groaned softly. ‘Oh, this should be good.’

‘A complaint,’ Sue said flatly.

‘I’ll call my lawyer,’ Kent said, taking out his cell.

‘It’s not me, it’s them!’ the server said, flapping a hand towards a table at the back of the room. ‘I just... sorry.’

‘You have shared their disapproval with us,’ Kent said. ‘May we order now or is this going to turn into an issue?’

‘They’re assholes,’ the server said, dropping her shoulders.

‘That's the spirit,' Kent said. 

***

As they walked back to the car, Sue took Kent’s hand. ‘What do you think the complaint was?’ she asked.

Kent thought about it. ‘Our aggressive sexual magnetism. All that talk about shaving your legs.’

Sue gave a small smirk. ‘Now you’re being facetious.’

‘True.’ He shrugged. ‘Does the reason matter? We’re never coming back here.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘There is a world of difference between someone having a problem with me breastfeeding, and someone having a problem with me because my boyfriend is white.’

Kent stroked James’s head. ‘That’s fair. I would guess the breastfeeding. The other sort of people tends not to go for complaining to the server.’

‘True.’

Kent unlocked the car and opened the door for Sue. As she sat down, she squeezed his butt.

‘Oh, when I say something mildly sexual I have to get out of the habit,’ Kent said. ‘But you can grab my ass.’

‘Precisely,’ she said, and shut the car door.

***

Kent took a deep breath as they drove down the long and wining driveway. The sprawling house had small dark windows, and clusters of overhanging trees. Decaying leaves were piled up around the tree boles, and dead branches had fallen across the driveway.

‘It’s not too late to drive back home,’ Sue said.

‘Do you want to?’

She shook her head. ‘No. Not yet. I would hate to let these people feel that they have won without a shot being fired.’

Kent briefly touched her knee. ‘They’re not going to win.’ He shifted in his seat as he pulled up outside the house. ‘Remember, they asked you to come. You’re doing them a favour. You have the power here.’

Sue set her shoulders. ‘I do. They have nothing that I want or need.’

Kent got out of the car and opened Sue’s door for her. ‘I’ll bring James and the diaper bag.’

‘Thank you.’

Despite James having a diaper bag approximately the size of the Leviathan, since he had been born Sue had upgraded to purse that wasn't much smaller. From time to time, Kent had wondered what she kept in it. He’d never asked her, and he had no intention of ever asking. However, he had picked it up once or twice and he had been impressed with the weight of it. He certainly wouldn’t ask Sue to carry it along with anything else.

As they walked to the door, Sue took his hand.

‘We’re doing this for James,’ she said.

Kent nodded. ‘And he has absolutely no idea.’

She rapped on the door, and he saw her straighten her back. She didn’t smile when the door was opened, but then Sue rarely did.

Mrs Levinson ignored both of them. ‘Oh, my lord, is this my sweet James?’

Kent pursed his lips, but shrugged when Sue looked at him.

‘He’s a little tired,’ Sue said, turning him around to face.

Mrs Levison hesitated, just for a moment, and then rallied. ‘Look how handsome he is. May I hold him?’

‘Perhaps when we’ve settled in,’ Sue said. ‘It was a long drive and we’re extremely tired, including James.’

Mrs Levison stepped back. ‘Of course. Please come in and I’ll show you to your rooms. Dinner isn’t for a couple hours so you can have a nap if you wish.’

Kent didn’t make a fuss about “rooms” but he certainly made a note of it. In her messages, Mrs Levinson had referred to him as Sue’s “friend.” While Kent had no problem with the use of polite language, he quite often preferred it to the tiresome crudeness of modern usage, he disliked the sexlessness of “friend.” He _was_ Sue’s friend, and proudly so, but in this context the word seemed like a deliberate, insulting choice.

‘We’ve redecorated since you were here last,’ Mrs Levinson said. ‘Was it summer that you were last here?’

‘No,’ Sue said. ‘It was just after the wedding.’

‘Goodness, so long?’

The door nearest to them was pulled open, and a looming, grey-haired man shambled out. If the elderly dwindled with age, then in his prime he must’ve been a giant.

‘Sue has brought James for a visit, father,’ Mrs Levinson said.

Mr Levinson looked Kent up and down. ‘You must be the boyfriend.’

‘Yes.’ Kent met the clouded grey eyes. ‘Kent Davison.’

Mr Levinson nodded. ‘Come and have a drink.’

Kent glanced at Sue, who shrugged.

‘Father, I don’t think –’

‘He doesn’t want to look at rugs and vases,’ Mr Levinson said. ‘Go do that and we’ll have a drink. He walked back into the room, obviously expecting Kent to follow him.

‘Lucky,’ Sue murmured to Kent as she turned to follow Mrs Levinson.

Kent walked into a book lined room dominated by an oak desk. It would have been impressive; if Kent hadn’t seen the Resolute desk.

‘Scotch?’ It wasn’t really a question, he was already pouring two glasses.

‘Sure,’ Kent said. He’d had more daunting men and women try to intimidate him.

The measure of Scotch was past “generous” and into “challenge.” Kent gave a small sigh, and looked around the room. A lot of heavy furniture. A lot of rugs. A lot of brown. It was pure “wannabe patriarch 101.” Any second now the other man was probably going to ask what he did and if he enjoyed hunting.

‘What do you do?’ Mr Levinson asked. ‘I owned an architecture firm.’

Kent looked at him again. He wouldn’t have guessed architect.

‘Mainly consultancy work,’ he said. ‘I also have a couple professorships.’

Levinson swirled his scotch around in his glass.

‘Good money in that?’

‘Yes,’ Kent said honestly. ‘More in the consultancy.’

The other man didn’t invite him to sit on the overstuffed leather couch. That was fine. Kent had suffered people screaming right at his face too many times to be offended by a deliberate slight.

‘Not retiring any time soon?’

Kent shook his head. ‘I don’t see a need. I enjoy work and there’s no issue with my age or health.’ He sipped his scotch. It had a heavy, peaty flavour.

‘You drove up?’ Levinson asked.

‘James is too young to fly,’ Kent said.

Levinson looked at his glass. ‘He’s our first grandson.’

Kent said nothing.

Levinson looked around the room. ‘Do you hunt?’

‘Not routinely,’ Kent said carefully. ‘I learned to shoot when I was a boy, but I don’t much enjoy it.’ He shrugged. ‘Too much sitting around waiting. I always preferred more dynamic pursuits.’

Levinson sit down in the leather armchair and waved a hand at the couch. ‘It teaches a man patience.’

Kent sat on the couch. ‘That’s a point of view.’

‘My son was always too impatient.’ Levinson slowly sipped his Scotch. ‘He was engaged five times before he married Sue.’

‘Good Lord,’ Kent said. ‘Is he engaged to his latest paramour?’

Levinson snorted. ‘If he is he hasn’t told me yet.’ He looked at Kent. ‘Perhaps losing his wife to a much older man has soured him on marriage.’

Kent shook his head. ‘That’s not what happened.’

Levinson looked at him.

Kent sipped his whiskey. He had no guilty conscience to propel him to speak up.

There was brief tap on the door as it was opened. A dark-haired young woman wandered into the room.

‘Hi Pops, bust open the liquor cabinet.’ She glanced at Kent. ‘Hey.’

‘Hi,’ Kent said, putting the glass down on the coaster. ‘I should catch up with Sue. She’ll need help unpacking and changing James.’

The woman sat on the edge of the desk. ‘So, you’re the adulterous lover, huh? How awkward. You’re older than I’d have guessed.’

Kent leaned on the wall. ‘Lover, sure, adulterous, no. They parted long before we began dating.’

‘Perfect big brother told a lie. I am shocked. Shocked I tell you!’

Kent hid a smile. ‘I’m going to go catch up with Sue.’

He left before Mr Levinson could object, and headed for the stairs. He could hear movement in the rooms around him, but he saw a tiny sock at the top of the steps. Although quite a cheerful child, when in good health, James seemed to harbour an ongoing deep grudge against anything on his feet. Socks and shoes were kicked off with alacrity. Not even Velcro or laces could keep them on his feet.

Kent leaned down to pick up the sock and carried on along the corridor.

‘Sue?’

‘Here.’

He followed her voice around the corridor. She was stood in the doorway to a bedroom, scowling at Mrs Levinson.

‘We have a run away,’ Kent said, holding up the sock.

Sue lifted James’s leg, so Kent could slide the sock onto his foot.

‘You were quick,’ Sue said.

Kent gave an easy shrug. ‘I became the third wheel and thought it best to leave gracefully.’

‘I’ll show you the other room,’ Mrs Levinson said, barely acknowledging Kent. ‘It’s just on the third floor.’

Kent didn’t have to look at Sue to imagine the expression she was pulling.

‘That’s not going to work for us,’ she said.

Mrs Levinson was playing with James’s hand. ‘We have a full house of visitors. It would be very difficult to change things around now.’

Sue looked at Kent. ‘I think I saw a hotel in town.’

‘I’ll give them a call,’ he said.  

Mrs Levinson waved her hands. ‘There’s no need to be hasty, Susan.’

‘Don’t call me Susan,’ Sue said. ‘And we will not be sleeping on different floors.’

‘It’s not practical,’ Kent said. 

‘We have a small child, Mary, if you don’t remember what that’s like, let me assure you that hot, sweaty sex is a rare treat, and one we wouldn’t waste in the uncomfortable confines of my former in-law’s house.’

Mrs Levinson covered her eyes. ‘Can you get control of her?’

‘It would be a first,’ Kent said.

Mrs Levinson set her shoulders. ‘Can we please be nice? It’s Christmas.’

‘It’s Christmas, and we’re here as a favour to you,’ Kent said.

‘Let’s go.’ Sue turned around and took a step.

‘No, please, Susan... Sue.’ Mrs Levinson pressed her palm to her forehead. ‘I can move Ally and Markus. You can have adjoining rooms. That’s the best I can do.’

‘Good,’ Sue said.

Mr Levinson smoothed her dress. ‘Such a lot of fuss.’

‘If I’m on the floor above Sue then she won’t be able to elbow me until I change or feed James in the middle of the night,’ Kent said.

Sue smirked at him. ‘You know your place. That’s important.’

***

Kent unpacked his suitcase on the creaking, heavy double bed.

James idly kicked his legs and grabbed fistfuls of the duvet. He giggled as Kent lightly draped a t-shirt over him.

Sue’s snore ripped through the air. Kent glanced through the door to where she was asleep.

‘This is good for you,’ Kent said. ‘If you grow up being able to sleep through her snoring then you’ll be able to sleep through anything.’

James’s squirming and waving arms dislodged the t-shirt. Kent picked up the t-shirt and kissed James on the forehead.

He was finishing putting away his clothes when his cell vibrated. Kent accepted the call and flicked it to speakerphone. ‘Hello?’

‘Where the fuck are you? I’ve been by Sue’s like three times,’ Ben said.

Kent sat on the bed and pulled James onto his lap. ‘You’re on speaker phone because I’m looking after James.’

‘I’ll put ten dollars in the swear jar, Jesus. Where are you?’

‘Visiting James’s grandparents.’ Kent lifted James’s hand to nibble down his fingernails.

‘That’s a weird way of describing Sue’s parents,’ Ben said suspiciously.

‘Wrong grandparents,’ Kent said. 'These are Sean's parents.'

He winced at Ben’s slow breath.

‘Why the fuck did you agree to that?’ Ben demanded. ‘Is that shit prowling around?’

‘No, nothing like that,’ Kent said. ‘They begged to see James, and him signing away his parental rights doesn’t mean his parents don’t care. Although given Mrs Levinson’s response I suspect they were more invested in the concept of a grandchild that the reality.’

‘Why would you put yourself through that?’

Kent lay on his side, holding James against his chest. ‘Because the day may come when James might want a relationship with them.’

‘Bullshit. Nobody wants a relationship with their grandparents,’ Ben said. ‘This is about that fucker, Sean. He had his chance and he pissed all over it. James doesn’t need him. He’s fucking toxic.’

‘Why’re you so angry?’ Kent asked.

‘Because you’re pretending not to be. He left Sue, big fucking deal. People pull that shit every day. But he left his unborn baby and that’s fucking cold. He had no idea you were gonna come into the picture.’

Kent played with James’s fingers. ‘A little hypocritical don’t you think?’

There was a long pause. ‘You think I don’t love my kids?’

It was quieter than Kent would’ve expected, and far less adversarial.

‘You’re not around much,’ Kent said.

‘I love my kids,’ Ben said. ‘I don’t always like ‘em very much but I love ‘em.’

‘I know.’ Kent picked up James, and shut the connecting door.

‘You know how much my dad was around?’ Ben asked. ‘I saw him for maybe an hour a night, max. He came home, we ate dinner, we had a bath and went to bed. No talking. No playing. Kids were seen and not heard. I don’t think we had a conversation until after I left college.’

Kent checked James’s diaper. ‘That was fifty-something years ago, Ben. Things have changed. Fatherhood isn’t just about paying the bills and being emotionally unavailable.’

‘Hey, your kid isn’t even walking yet,’ Ben said. ‘You think because you’re up all night and too tired to bang that this is the hard part? This is the _easy_ part. When he gets hurt, when he gets bullied, when he has his own thoughts and opinions, those are the hard parts. When you wanna talk to him about the important shit, but you can’t find the words and he doesn’t want to fucking hear it anyway.’

Kent opened the curtain and looked outside. ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah,’ Ben said. ‘Sometimes it’s just… so fucking difficult.’

‘At least you’ll never have to worry about your kids snarling that you’re not their real father,’ Kent said.

‘They wish,’ Ben said. ‘You worrying about that?’

‘Somewhat. Yes.’

Kent kissed James’s nose. The little boy crinkled up his eyes.

‘Don’t tell him,’ Ben said.

‘Be serious.’

‘I am. Sean’s not involved. Stay the fuck away from his family. James will never need to know.’

‘I’m not lying to him,’ Kent said.

‘Santa, the Tooth Fairy, life being fair. Parents lie to their kids all the time,’ Ben said. The difference is yours would actually save you both a lot of grief.’

***

They wrapped up warmly before going downstairs; it was snowing outside, and Sue had no tolerance for the cold. Kent looked into the study, the living room, and the kitchen before he found someone.

‘We’re going for a short walk,’ he said.

‘Seriously? It looks fucking freezing,’ the dark-haired woman said.

‘Fiona, watch your language!’ Mrs Levinson said, walking into the corridor. ‘You’re not taking James out into the cold?’ she asked Sue.

‘He’s wrapped up,’ Sue said. ‘He should get acclimatised to cold weather.’

‘We don’t want him growing up to be a cowardy custard like his mother,’ Kent explained.

Sue put her hand on her hip. ‘I am not.’

‘Yes, you are.’ He kissed her nose. ‘We won’t be out there five minutes before you start whining about the cold.’

She pointed at the door. ‘Go! We’ll see who gets cold first.’

It was a relief to get outside. The house felt oddly cold, despite the fires burning, and the draughts that blew under the doors and in around the windows stirred up old dust. Despite the size of the house, the voices travelled easily from room to room and floor to floor, making the building feel cramped. As if the occupants were pressed in together with only the illusion of privacy.

The snow was gathering, with no sign of it melting into the soil. Kent reached over the buggy to adjust the blanket over James. The big eyes were fixed on the falling snowflakes.

‘Is he warm enough?’ Sue asked.

‘He’s fine.’ Kent looked across at her and smiled impishly. ‘Are you?’

She gave him a haughty look. ‘I am fine.’

‘Sure,’ Kent said. ‘Anything you say.’

Sue smiled slightly. ‘It’s still better than being in the house.’

Kent nodded. ‘It occurs to me that your former be mother-in- law has yet to actually address me.’

Sue’s shoulder bumped against his as they walked.

‘She told me three times that it’s a Christian house,’ Sue said.

‘I wasn’t aware that buildings had religious beliefs,’ he said dryly. ‘Should we perform the last rites before demolitions?’

‘We’re not married.’

‘We’re not?’ he asked. He caught her expression. ‘Okay. So what? Christ was often noted as spending time with thieves, adulterers, and worse.’

Sue was thoughtful. ‘Murderers?’

‘Worse,’ Kent said. ‘Tax collectors.’

Sue looked at James. ‘Daddy is being very silly.’

Daddy. He heard the word most days. He said it himself most days. He still wasn’t used to it. It still made him catch his breath.

'Daddy is being quite accurate. They collected taxes for the hated Roman overlords. Bad enough be conquered without having to pay for your own oppression.’

‘True.’ Sue wiped snow off her face. ‘I thought I heard Ben yelling’

‘Back at the house? I had him on speaker. I did shut the door.’

Sue pulled a face. ‘The way sound travels, half the house might have heard him.’

‘That would be... unfortunate.’ Kent brushed snow from his gloves. ‘He was ranting about Sean.’

‘He’s never even met Sean.’

‘Well, he’d deny it,’ Kent said, ‘but he was quite disgusted when he found exactly when Sean left.’ He shrugged. ‘I think he felt for you. He has something of a soft spot for you.’

See preened. ‘As he should.’

‘As we all should,’ Kent agreed.

‘I hope your spot for me isn’t too soft,’ she said.

Kent raised his eyebrows.

‘James is asleep,’ Sue said.

‘Oh.’ Kent glanced at him. ‘No, it’s not.’ He touched her hand. ‘I know that we haven’t exactly been setting the bed on fire.’

Sue leaned against him. ‘I worry that it’s a problem for you.’

‘No,’ Kent said. ‘We’re both tired. James is starting to sleep through. Once he’s doing that regularly we’ll start to get more sleep. I think that’s the thing causing problems.’

‘Agreed.’

‘I knew what I was getting into,’ Kent said. ‘I started dating you with my eyes wide open.’

Sue licked her lips. ‘Even so. I want you to know that I appreciate your understanding and patience.’

Kent turned to look at her. ‘We’re in this together,’ he said.

‘We are.’ Sue kissed him, cupping his face in her hands. Then she brushed her fingers through his hair. ‘You should wear a hat.’

‘I don’t like them,’ Kent said. They give me a headache.’

‘That’s ridiculous.’ Sue straightened her own woollen hat. ‘On a note related to our previous topic, Joyce suggested that we take James to their house the next time they babysit.’

‘But then we’d have to go and pick him up when we’d finish napping.’

Sue pursed her lips. ‘Or, we take him there and they look after him overnight.’ She tilted her head. ‘We can have an evening together.’ She brushed snow from his jacket. ‘Just us.’

‘Are you comfortable with him staying overnight?’ he asked.

‘I trust Joyce,’ she said. ‘And… also Ben will be there.’

Kent chuckled. ‘That would be fun, I hope.’

Sue tangled her fingers with his. ‘It’s a date.’

***

Kent got the definite feeling that they were supposed to be overwhelmed by the array of friends and family assembled around the dinner. However, he was used to sprawling family meals. Growing up with several sisters meant dining with not only with them but with a revolving cast of friends, boyfriends, and several girlfriends. There were both also used to the huge state dinners that had been part and parcel of being a senior aide to the president. So, they sauntered into the huge dining room, ignoring the stares and muttered comments, and found their seats by the highchair.

Sue sat James in the highchair and kissed his forehead.

‘Where’s Uncle Sean?’ asked a teenaged boy.

‘He couldn’t make it,’ Mrs Levinson said.

‘He’s surfing in Maui with his girlfriend,’ Fiona said. ‘Don’t gimmie that look, Mom, it’s true.’ She looked at Sue. ‘You don’t care do you?’

‘Not at all,’ Sue said.

‘He’s at a conference,’ Mrs Levinson said.

Kent exchanged a look with Sue.

‘At _Christmas_?’ Fiona asked. ‘C’mon mom, you don’t believe that.’

‘If you’re going to be difficult…’

Fiona rolled her eyes. ‘I’m thirty-two, mom, what’re you gonna do, send me to my room?’

Mrs Levinson gritted her teeth. ‘We have _guests_. Let’s be nice.’

There was a sudden shift of focus to Kent and Sue.

James started to cry.

***

Kent hadn’t eaten much, but he rarely did with home-cooked meals. His palate was delicate, and he disliked heavy, fatty, or strongly seasoned dishes. So instead of eating, he concentrated instead on keeping James clean as Sue fed him. The little boy had a habit of grabbing the spoon and trying to feed himself. It made for messy mealtimes.

He had finished now, so Kent wiped his face clean.

‘He’s sticky,’ he said to Sue. ‘I’m going to change his onesie upstairs.’

‘Do you want me to do it?’

‘And leave me here alone?’ Kent kissed her cheek, and then scooped up James.

Kent would suggest to Sue that they leave early the following morning. It was rude, sure, but better than hanging on where there were uncomfortable and were making everyone else uncomfortable.

Perhaps coming here had been an error of judgement. If so, it had been an error made with the best of intentions. They had shown willing and that they weren’t refusing Sean’s family the chance to know James. Lord knew that Sean didn’t seem to care about it.

Kent took James into his bedroom, ran some warm water into the basin, and took off James’s onesie. It was an event, taking off a onesie. Wrestling James’s arms out of the sleeves was always a delicate and fraught manoeuvre. There was always the looming worry of being too rough, of somehow hurting James despite his best efforts to avoid it. It was a fear that seeped into his dreams and haunted his waking moments.

James had long black eyelashes and surprisingly delicate eyebrows but the softness of his skin always gently surprised Kent. Although Kent had bathed James dozens, scores, of times, the softness of James's skin always took Kent aback.

Kent put a small toy duck in the basin as then tested the temperature of the water. James grabbed the duck as Kent lowered him into the basin. He was almost too big for this. He was on the cusp of becoming a toddler. No longer a relatively passive participant of events but one _trying_ to influence them; he reached for toys, he made and kept eye contact, and he was sounding out syllables. Not words, not quite yet, but soon. It was quietly terrifying. Soon he would be talking, soon he would be walking, and soon, irresistibly soon, he would be asserting his own definitive personality.

When Kent was growing up, toddlers, like babies, were the exclusive preserve of their mothers and other female relatives. He was uncomfortably aware that the skills he had painstakingly acquired to look after James as a baby would likely be of little or no value as he grew up. Kent was still very aware of how physically fragile James was, but they had grown together, he and James, learning how to hold and be held, how to bathe and be bathed, how to be a parent and how to be a child.

Kent used a flannel to wash James’s neck and chest. There was something viscerally comforting about holding James, watching him breathe, and feeling the rapid beat of his heart.

On Sunday mornings, Kent or Sue would wake up early and make breakfast while the other changed and fed James. Then the three of them would pull the covers up around them, make a little cave, and cuddle up, sharing their warmth. It was a hackneyed cliche that parents would marvel in the scent on their babies. A cliché because it was true. Kent knew James’s scent as much as he knew Sue's scent. He thought he could recognise Sue in the dark purely from the scent of the nape of her neck.

James patted his hands in the water and scrunched his little toes. Kent kissed his chubby little cheek.

‘Are you ready, Mr Wilson?’ Kent asked. ‘Let’s get you into your jammies. You can say goodnight to everyone, and then we’ll put you to bed.’

‘Ba,’ James said, pouting as the water drained from the basin, but held up his arms for Kent to pick him up.

Kent wrapped a towel around James and picked him up.

There was a regular thump coming from outside the room. Kent held James against him and listened to the sound. Not one beat but three separate beats, dum- _dum_ , bam- _bam_ , thump- _thump_ , falling over each other. Dum-bam- _thump_. Thump- _bam-dum_.

‘…kind of poisonous gossip!’

Kent rubbed James’s back as he heard Sue’s voice. The bedroom door was thrown open and Sue stamped inside. Meredith, one of Sean’s cousins, was behind her, along with Fiona.

‘See?’ Sue said icily. ‘He was giving James a bath. Perfectly normal.’

‘It’s not “normal,” it’s kinda weird,’ Meredith said. ‘It’s hard enough to get men to pull their weight with their own kids never mind someone else’s.’

‘Just because you’ve had shitty boyfriends,’ Fiona said.

Meredith scowled. ‘Hey, we can’t be too careful, right? We don’t know him.’

‘I know him,’ Sue growled. ‘I listened to your idiocy and now you owe us both an apology.’

‘A grovelling apology,’ Fiona said.

‘I’m supposed to apologise for worrying about Sean’s baby?’ Meredith asked. ‘We can’t be too careful.’

Sue worked her jaw, too angry to do anything but shove past both women and into the corridor.

‘Come on, Meredith,’ Fiona said. ‘You've done enough.'

Kent put James against his chest. ‘Get out,’ he said, keeping his tone mild. ‘I’m not entirely sure what’s going on but what I do understand I don’t like, and you’ve upset Sue, so get the fuck out of my room.’

‘Sorry,’ Fiona said, as she turned to leave.

Meredith rolled her eyes as she turned. ‘It’s not like he’s the _real_ father,’ she said to Fiona.

‘Would you shut your fucking mouth?’ Fiona asked. 

Kent kicked the door. It slammed shut with a satisfying crunch. ‘James, if you grow up to be anything like these people, I will be so very disappointed.’

James grabbed Kent’s nose.

‘Ow,’ Kent said, his voice slightly distorted. ‘If I wasn’t your “real” daddy would I put up with this?’

James burped.

‘Exactly.’

***

James was getting sleepy, which meant he was getting wriggly and distracted. Kent rocked him in his arms as he went downstairs and into the living room. He meant to hand James to Sue, but was immediately surrounded by people cooing over James.

‘Can I hold him?’ Mrs Levinson asked meekly.

Something had seeped out of her since he’d seen her in the dining room. Now she looked tired, uncomfortable, and embarrassed.

‘Let’s sit down,’ Kent said. ‘He’s tired.’

‘Of course,’ she said.

Kent kissed Sue on the cheek as she took James and sat down on the couch. Mrs Levinson sat on the edge of the seat next to her.

‘He’s quiet, isn’t he?’ Mrs Levinson said. ‘Doesn’t cry much. Sean was such a whiner. He’d cry about the slightest thing for hours and hours.’

‘I believe you,’ Sue said dryly. She carefully handed James over.

Mrs Levinson sighed. ‘He’s getting big.’

‘We didn’t know,’ Mr Levinson said.

Kent looked up. He hadn’t seen the big man approaching. He was red-faced, and was holding a glass of Scotch. He looked like he would be more comfortable looking for a cigar than in the presence of a child.

Didn’t know?’ Sue asked.

‘About the baby,’ he said.

Fiona snorted. ‘Sean brought his new girlfriend over. They had a bust up in the middle of dinner. She yelled something about it.’

Kent shook his head.

Mrs Levinson stroked James’s hand. She looked at Sue. ‘I’m so sorry you had to go through the pregnancy and birth all by yourself,' she said quietly.

‘I didn’t,’ Sue said. The first few months of the pregnancy were... difficult. Then I reconnected with Kent and Minna and that made it so much easier. They were good friends to me.’

‘Who’s Minna?’ Fiona asked.

‘Don’t be rude,’ Mrs Levinson said.

‘Thirty-two, mom.’

Kent shrugged. ‘Minna is the lady I was dating. A little while before James was born she moved back to Finland to be with her son and his family.’

‘We should arrange a visit in a few months,’ Sue said.

‘We should,’ Kent agreed.

James’s head was bobbing. Mrs Levinson stroked his hair. ‘They grow up so quickly,’ she said. ‘You think you’re ready for it, but you never are.’

Sue gently took James back. ‘I’ll put him to bed. We should make an early start tomorrow.’

Mr Levinson’s shoulders dropped. ‘Not stay until dinner?’

‘We promised to be at Sue’s mother’s for dinner,’ Kent said. ‘They have their big family meal tomorrow.’

‘And we promised Kent’s mom that we’d see her the day after,’ Sue said.

Kent winced. She didn’t have to say it. It wasn’t actually relevant. But she said it, making it clear that Kent’s family were at least as important, and she stood up as if to draw a line under the conversation.

‘Your mom is alive?’ Fiona asked Kent.

‘She is, and she is in excellent health,’ he said tartly.

‘I’m going to take him to bed,’ Sue said, kissing Kent, and letting the kiss linger a moment longer than usual.

‘Okay. Don’t be long.’

She raised an eyebrow. ‘The amount of time you were up there?’

‘Ouch.’

As Sue took James upstairs, Kent moved away from the press of people. Although dealing with large groups of people was still a part of his work, it wasn’t a part he enjoyed. He would admit without any hesitation that he was not a gregarious man, nor the most social. He would not have particularly enjoyed the gathering even if he wasn’t surrounded by the suspicious relatives of a man he’d never met and still detested.

As Kent slid open the patio door and stepped into the garden he shivered tightly. “Detest” was not a word commonly in his emotional vocabulary. Kent avoided intense emotion, despite Sasha assuring him that there was a time and a place for it.

He rested his hands on the rail. He’d had a couple of drinks. Perhaps that was making him more emphatic than it should. Was ‘detestation’ really what he felt for Sean?

The patio door opened behind him. Mrs Levinson stepped out already shivering.

‘Have we driven you out?’

‘Too many people,’ Kent said. ‘I needed to clear my head.’

She stood beside him. ‘We haven’t made a particularly good impression.

‘No,’ Kent agreed. ‘You’ve treated Sue abominably. I don’t know what lies Sean told you, but it was his choice not be James’s father. He signed away his parental rights so that he wouldn’t have to pay. Money was more important than James.’

‘Bernard told him not to come,’ she said. ‘That he wasn’t welcome.’

‘Would he have come?’

‘If something better didn’t present itself,’ she said. ‘But if he had then Sue wouldn’t have brought James.’ She sighed. ‘Thank you for that. You didn’t have to. You have nothing to gain. That was kind.’

Kent looked at her. ‘If something happened to me, I’d hope my mother could still have a relationship with James.’

‘I hope so too,’ she said quietly. She looked at her hands. ‘I’m afraid that I always assumed Sue was the reason they used to fight, or that it was their dynamic.’

‘We’ve had a couple arguments,’ Kent said.

She gave him a wry look. ‘I think we’ve all had a couple arguments. They had screaming matches. They never even seemed to like each other.’ She looked back at her hands.

‘I never met him,’ Kent said.

‘She’s different with you,’ Mrs Levinson said. ‘Warm. Affectionate. I saw it right from the start. That shouldn’t have bothered me. Sean left her. I know it wasn’t your fault.’

Kent turned to her. ‘It’s not a reflection on you.’

‘He’s my little boy.’ She rubbed her hands together. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t more welcoming. I always liked Sue. What Sean did was appalling. You seem to make her genuinely happy. She deserves that.’

She’s my best friend,’ Kent said.

‘That must be nice,’ she said. ‘I can’t say Bernard is my friend.’

Kent tapped his thumbs together. ‘What was that with Meredith stomping up to my bedroom?’

She shook her head. ‘Meredith is one of those women who think any man in the vicinity of any child is a potential threat.’

Kent set his jaw. ‘I see. Do you think that?’

‘I don’t know you, Kent,’ she said. ‘But I know the way you look at James, and I know the way he looks at you. He loves you. He trusts you. I _do_ know Sue. I know she would never allow you near James if she didn’t trust you.’

Kent tucked his hands in his pockets. ‘She was incensed when she went downstairs.’

‘There was a little spat,’ Mrs Levinson said. ‘Sue educated Meredith quite thoroughly on what a “real” father is. What he does and doesn’t do.’

Kent looked at her. ‘Was Meredith the only one educated?’

‘No,’ she said quietly. She rubbed her forearm. ‘I’m going to go back into the house. I hope you’ll join us for coffee.’

‘Sure,’ he said.

***

Sue came back downstairs as the coffees were being served. She put her hand on Kent’s shoulder as she sat down next to him.

‘Everything okay?’ Kent asked.

‘Fine,’ she said. ‘He went to sleep halfway through that book about the lost cow.’

‘How dare he,’ Kent said. ‘it’s a riveting work of fiction, if you do the noises properly.’

Sue laughed as she settled back. ‘We need to go out with adults more often.’

‘Or at all,’ Kent said.

Sue put her head on Kent’s shoulder. ‘How quickly can we go upstairs?’ she whispered.

‘Half an hour?’ Kent suggested. ‘Just in time to be wide awake from the coffee.’

Sue smiled. ‘I’ll wear you out.’

***

Kent woke up at four a. m. Sue was pressed again him, her face against his chest, and her fingers on his thigh. Kent reached out to the bedside cabinet to pick up his cell.

He had the usual messages, plus one from Sue with a time stamp of 3:23am. _I love you._

Kent smiled and texted back: _I love you too._

In the crib, James whimpered. Kent waited, tensed, for him to wake and cry, but there’s was nothing.

Kent relaxed, and settled down. He closed his eyes, and stroked the back of Sue’s neck.

***

They left early the following morning. As they packed up the car. Mr Levinson came down the stone steps.

‘Is he going to challenge me a duel?’ Kent murmured to Sue.

‘My father already called that,’ she said.

‘Earl said that?’

Mr Levinson cleared his throat. He nodded at them. ‘Sue.’

‘Bernard,’ she said.

He stuck his hand out to Kent. ‘Davison.’

‘Levinson,’ Kent said.

He nodded and walked back to the house.

Sue smirked at Kent. ‘That’s a mark of rare approval.’

‘The only approval I need is yours,’ Kent said.

‘You’ve always had that,’ Sue said.

Mrs Levinson and Fiona came down the stairs, laden with parcels. Sue let them fuss over James, while Kent took the parcels.

‘Good lord, there’s a lot of these,’ he said.

‘They’re for his birthday too,’ Fiona said. ‘We’re not expecting you to drive all the way here for that.’ She looked at Mrs Levinson. ‘ _Right_ , mom?’ 

Mrs Levinson waved her hand. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Fiona.’

‘Well,’ Kent said, putting the parcels in the back of the car. ‘Thanks.’

‘Can I have a hug?’ Fiona asked. ‘What? I wasn’t the one being a dick.’

‘Sure,’ Kent said with a shrug. He embraced her briefly, feeling himself redden when she kissed his cheek.

‘Are you gonna blush?’ she asked, hugging Sue.

‘I am not.’

‘Spoilsport,’ Kent said.

‘Thank you for coming,’ Mrs Levinson said. ‘All of you.’

They got into the car and Kent stretched out in the passenger seat.

‘Don’t sleep all the way home,’ Sue ordered.

Okay,’ Kent said, closing his eyes.

‘Are you going to sleep.’

‘I’m trying.’

He felt her elbow him.

‘What did I _just_ say?’

‘Don’t sleep all the way home,’ Kent said. ‘Wake me up for lunch and won’t have.’

Sue snorted. ‘Just most of it.’

‘That’s the idea.’

‘You’re lucky that you’re cute, Davison,’ she said.

‘I love you too, Wilson.’

The End


End file.
